maybe i'm feeling sentimental because she-ra is leaving netflix likely forever towards the end of next month, but i was rewatching season 5 episode 11 "failsafe", and it really hit me how much a scene like this between nancy and robin (one of my favorite scenes in the entire show and easily one of the ones that packs the hardest punch emotionally in my eyes) would've really really rounded out nancy's character arc in season 5 and robin's as well.
nancy, who made the "mistake" of putting herself first at 15 and it cost her the life of her best friend, at least in her eyes. she hasn't once forgiven herself or even tried to in the years since barb's death. and since then, she compulsively puts herself on the front lines straight in the path of danger. for the greater good. for the lives of her friends. her family. she doesn't think twice, she jumps immediately into danger in order to protect the ones she loves.
and then there's robin, who nancy briefly tried to ice out at first because she feels too familiar. robin, who nancy couldn't help herself but become close to, even against her better judgement. because everyone who gets close to nancy either dies or suffers. and robin sees nancy throw herself into danger so often. never once thinking of herself. robin, who has cried out nancy's name as she watches her risk her life at lover's lake. robin, who has heard nancy's name on her police scanner and felt her heart race as she dealt with the feeling of powerlessness that came with loving nancy wheeler. robin, who has felt her face crumple in devastation as she watched nancy step forward to face the mind flayer by herself, layered in tactical gear that robin knows ultimately won't do shit and one gun against a creature the size of a skyscraper. robin, who can't bear to watch this girl who has become everything to her put herself last another time, at the risk of her own life. robin, who knows that she can't stop nancy from self-sacrificing. she tries. she begs. but as much as you can lead a horse to water, you can never force it to drink.
"what do YOU want, nance?"
"i..."
and nancy doesn't even know how to answer that question. she can't see beyond the realm of her own sacrifice.
and at the end of the day, they're just two traumatized girls who are scared shitless of losing each other.
need to read a Nancy pov ronance angst fic where nancy and robin are at a sleepover,
nancy has recently found out robin is gay, and maybe that she likes her and is gay too
she then finds out that robin is dating vickie, and is so upset about it, visibly (whether she knows why or not idk). but (mainly bc of robins reaction to her change in demeanor) she is determined to be a great friend about it. this is what friends did. they talk about crushes and new relationships. and goddamit she’s gonna make sure robin knows she’s supported and nancy doesn’t think it’s weird
so they’re both in nancy’s bed and robin is telling her about her latest date w vickie and how great vickie is and vickie vickie vickie, she falls asleep talking about her and nancy has to cry quietly facing away from her until she falls asleep herself
I have this great need for both older Wheeler siblings to be very, very jealous. Jealous Mike is already basically canon, but what if jealous Nancy?
We haven't really seen it with Jancy, since Jonathan seemingly doesn't hang out with or even know a single other girl in the world.
I want Nancy's friendship with Robin to grow and deepen to the point where Nancy secretly dreams of it becoming more, and when Robin finally tells her that she and Vickie are more than friends, I want Nancy to surprise herself by getting insanely jealous.
Nancy's brain is short-circuiting and Robin starts panicking, stammering and trying to explain because she thinks Nancy doesn't approve of her being a lesbian.
Meanwhile, Nancy is trying to appear so normal about it, insisting that it's totally fine and great, that Vickie is....a really great person and it's....really, really great.
Robin is uneasy, thinking Nancy is doing her best to tolerate Robin's truth despite thinking it's gross.
Robin assures Nancy that she doesn't want to make her feel weird, that Nancy doesn't need to worry about Robin hitting on her, since they were friends and nothing was going to change that. Ironically, this makes Nancy angrier.
Nancy's head is spinning and she feels these ugly feelings rising in her chest, to the point where she has to excuse herself or she'll scream.
And all she can think is.....why couldn't it be me?
It was odd for Nancy. The fact that Robin chose to be her friend and for once she didn’t want to push her away. Ever since Barb, she had made sure she didn’t have time for friends, only occasionally hanging out with Freddie… But now he was gone too. So, the fact that Nancy didn’t feel guilty for wanting to be Robin’s friend made her feel weird. It made her feel oddly safe compared to the sleepless nights hearing Barbs pleas to her.
Maybe it was the fact that Robin actually listened to her, or the fact that Steve dragged her into this mess, so if anything happened, she wouldn’t feel responsible…? But she would. She would feel that guilt all over again, her heart in her throat and tears in her eyes at the thought of her lifeless body entangled in Henry’s vines. She can’t let that happen.
Her feet hit the ground, each step feeling heavier, dragging her down as she follows everyone into their headquarters of sorts, sitting on the arm of the nearest armchair, feeling restless. Her leg was bouncing up and down as everyone tried to settle in and calm down… But how could they be calm in a time like this?
Hopper and Joyce had gone out, trying to check for damage and grab a few of Hopper’s thing’s, leaving the older kids in charge. Kids… They were adults now. That didn’t sit right with Nancy. It felt like only yesterday she had met up with Barb and convinced her to ‘let loose’ and Steves house… She shakes the memories from brain, pushing them back into the darkest corner of her mind.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear who started speaking or what about, but she finally took herself out of her own thoughts and looked up, listening to her boyfriend speak, Jonathan’s hand firmly planted on Will’s shoulder, clearly worried for his brother.
“We should split up. I mean it’s the best way to cover ground and- “
“I’m with Robin.”
She didn’t recognise the sound of her own voice, but she knows what she has done after seeing the surprised look on Robin’s face and the almost disappointed look on Jonathan’s as she cut him off. Even Steve was giving her a shocked look, maybe because he wanted to take Robin for himself.
“We work well together,” Nancy’s focus was now fully on Robin, “You’re a fast thinker and I am- well I think I can push you to take more risks don’t you think?”
Robin nods, almost dazed as she looks up at Nancy from her spot on the floor. “Uh huh- yeah- I- I mean sure- “
Nancy noticed Robin’s slightly flushed face and wide eyes, but she brushes the thoughts from her mind.
‘I probably embarrassed her.’ She thinks.
What she doesn’t catch is the wide eyes and half smirk that Steve Harrington was sending his friend’s way. The way he looks between them and how he connects the dots before Nancy even figured it out herself…
“Are we heading the right way?”
Robin’s nervous voice almost squeaked as she follows Nancy down the dark passageway of trees.
“Positive. Dustin said that this is the way we had to go.”
It odd how after knowing Dustin for so long, she learnt not to question him. It might be because he hadn’t steered them wrong before, or maybe she knew that she had to trust Mike’s friends.
“Okay- okay cool.”
She felt Robin closer behind her than before, the whole world feeling dark and grim. On instinct, she reaches back, her hand slipping into the taller girl’s hand, holding her a little closer. Her heart was pounding in time with each step, her radio dead silent still, her signal hadn’t come. They make it to their destination and hide, just like they had planned. All the while the grip on her hand grew.
“Okay seriously, how long are they going to take? We’ve been here for like an hour and my hands are getting numb- and I really need to pee!”
She chuckles a little, smiling at Robin before shushing her.
“Calm down. I’m sure they will be ready soon. But knowing Steve he had to make sure his hair was perfect for ass kicking.”
Robin chimes in, finishing her sentence with her before they break into a fit of quite laughs. “I know right! That man is so obsessed with his hair! Like I’m lucky I even get time to brush it in the mornings!”
“Mine is a nightmare too sometimes, but you know.” She shrugs, “I’m pretty sure if there was a class on hair, Steve would have gotten straight A’s.”
“Ah yes, the might King Steve! Oh, how he has fallen. He went from top of the chain to being my friend.” Her sad smile didn’t go unnoticed by Nancy. She reaches her hand over to the other girl’s shoulder and gives it a slight pat.
“And what’s so wrong with that? I’m your friend and honestly, I’m glad.”
“Really? Miss Nancy Wheeler is glad to be friends with me?”
“Yeah.” The silence wraps around them like a fog, suffocating, like there were words needing to be said as they just look at each other.
The light bounces off of Robin’s face, her freckles adorned her cheeks like the stars that used to be in the sky above Hawkins, her hair framing her face just right.
“You make me feel listened to and seen I guess.”
“What do you mean?” Spinning around a little from where she was sitting, Robin fully faced her, crossing her legs.
“Like that! You give me your full attention, like you hang onto every word. You don’t make me feel like I’m being ignored, you are always there when I need you. And you balance me out so well! You’re fast paced, keeping me on my feet, while somehow also grounding me in reality so I don’t get too far in my thoughts! You fill in the gaps when I lose my brain and you and I work so well together. So yeah. I am thankful you’re my friend.”
Once again, the silence embraces the night, Robin left speechless while Nancy caught her breath, both of their faces flushed. There was a bright strike of lighting, followed by a crash of thunder a moment later, right before the radio went static.
“Nancy! Robin- Are you there?”
Dustin’s voice called out, snapping both girls out of their thoughts.
“Right here Dustin.”
“It’s go time!”
The whole group had found each other once again, Nancy and Jonathan in the middle of the pack, watching their brothers walk side by side, following Steve up the front.
“Seems like the Wheelers and the Byers make pretty good couples.”
She looks over at her boyfriend, taking a deep breath. “About that… Jonathan, I love you, I really do- but we aren’t working anymore. We’ve been distant. I don’t think I can do this.”
“Yeah… I agree.”
A few more words were shared before they split, Nancy slowing her pace and heading to the back of the group with Robin, who had seen the interaction between the two.
“You guys okay? That seemed… tense?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell you later.”
Theres a beat of silence between them, where all they can hear is the trudging footsteps of the group. The silence is almost pleasant, if it weren’t for the impending doom looming over their heads.
“Did you mean what you said before? That you’re thankful I’m your friend?”
The question took Nancy a little off guard, almost surprised that Robin even needed to ask that.
“Of course I’m serious Robin.”
“Huh…”
Another beat. She glances at Robin, wondering what is going on through her mind.
“For the longest time I thought I’d only have Steve… but now I have you.”
A soft glance with a smile is exchanged between the girls, a weird fluttering feeling bubbling in both of their stomachs, a feeling Nancy hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Well, you’re stuck with me now.”
Once again, they were left together, looking out and listening out for their signal, so they can destroy Vecna-Henry-001 once and for all.
She holds the barrel of her gun steady, prepared to shoot in case any of those vines or nasty bats come near the pair, Robin holding a machete for close range. They stay close to each other, both of their anxieties high. Having faced Vecna before, they know that there is a chance that someone won’t make it out alive, keeping them on edge.
“Hey Nance?”
She turns to the taller girl, seeing the worried look on her face. Taking a deep breath, she turns to face her fully, still on alert as she gives her a comforting smile.
“What’s up Robin?”
The air grew thicker between them as Robin seems to be internally battling herself. A shaky breath passes her lips before she speaks.
“I-if this is the end- I have to tell you something.”
Silently she urges Robin on, giving her a soft look.
“I- I like you- Not in a friend way- Well in a friend way- but also in more than a friend way. Y-you make me so flustered but so calm- and I really- really like you and I don’t want to lose you just because you know I like girls- cause I don’t like guys- but I really like you! You’re smart and pretty and-”
“Woah! Calm down Robin- breathe.” Her hand rests against her shoulder, stopping her from her rambling, partially so she doesn’t pass out from lack of breath, and because she need to process what she just said.
The air was tense as Robin anticipated rejection, and maybe even the loss of a friend in this moment as Nancy stayed mostly silent, her lips pursed in thought.
She hadn’t ever considered the fact that women were an option romantically since she had come from such a strait-laced family… But she shouldn’t be surprised. There were times that she felt strange around girls, like in the locker room for gym, or when she watched ‘Fast Times’ for the first time.
And then there was Robin. Charming, awkward Robin. After the whole falling apart with Jonathen, she thought she was lost with love. But Robin, she makes her feel complete, heard, respected. She can’t help but smile when she sees her, wanting to stare at her face, and count every freckle on her body, wanting to be around her all the time and- oh… OH!
Maybe she does like girls… The thought caught her off guard for a moment
A bashful smile creeps onto her face, chuckling as she looks up at Robin.
“Maybe I like you too…”
A loud bang rings in the distance. That’s their signal. The pair don’t have time to dwell on the revelation of love, but instead have to jump into action, to defeat Vecna, and save the world. The jump into action, trying not to be distracted by each other.
Running through the wreckage, families and friends reunite, releveled that this whole thing with the upside down is finally over. They had won! After briefly reuniting with her family, Nancy can’t help but look around, standing on her tip toes just to see if Robin was okay after they got split up in the heat of the battle.
In the crowd she sees her face, talking to Steve, reuniting. A chuckle escapes her before she sprints their way, bumping into a few people as she goes.
“Robin!” She watched Robin turn her head in the direction of her voice, the biggest, cheesiest grin breaking out on the taller girls face as she moves Steve out of her way.
“Nancy!”
They almost collide with the force from Nancys run, their arms wrapping around each other in an instant as Robin nuzzles her face against Nancy’s hair, her own head in the crook of her neck, and that’s where they stay for a while. Steve ran off to find his children, leaving them in peace.
Pulling apart, neither girl could contain themselves, bringing their lips together for a soft moment, all of their emotions running high, but they knew, that all they needed was each other to know the word is okay.
Her lips feel softer than they did back then. She must've dropped the anxious habit of chewing on them like she used to. More careful too. She kisses her like there’s time for them now. Hope blooms somewhere in Nancy’s chest.
It's been years of longing for the taste of those lips and yet Nancy remembers. Nancy remembers everything.
OR
On Christmas Eve in the early 90s, Nancy shows up at Robin's doorstep to fix things.
𓈒ㅤׂㅤ𐙚 part 1: just for old times‘ sake - nancy wheeler shows up at robin buckley’s doorstep to fix things.
part 2: i won’t ask you to wait - the before - march, 1986 - nancy is a mess and robin tries to help. things don't go as planned.
part 3: sleep in half the day - the after (coming soon)
𓈒ㅤׂwarnings: explicit content, period typical & internalized homophobia, smut, fluff & angst (check out the notes of each chapter for individual warnings!)
